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Windows 7: Why does Windows 7 scan the CD drive randomly when I open a folder?

As far as I remember this has been happening in Windows forever (including XP and maybe previous), but randomly and just now, when I went to open a folder (which actually was open earlier, and isn't in the disc drive), the whole operating system freezes for several seconds or more while it scans what's in the drive (this also means if there's nothing there the drive light still blinks for a second but doesn't freeze the interface)... the folder was on a USB hard drive, though I don't remember if this happens on the C: drive.

Why does Windows do this? I'm trying to open a folder that has nothing to do with the CD drive, yet Windows needs to check it first *sometimes* before opening the folder... again, the folder is not under the CD drive letter.

It's done this on every computer and Windows operating system I've owned or worked on (even a work or friend's computer), it seems random, but still nonsensical. I have auto-open/run turned off on CD or USB insert by the way if you were going to suggest disabling that.

Is this a file that you are having trouble with still located on the USB drive & is it a file that you need frequently. If so then it would be best if you moved it to the C drive.

If Windows can't find a file on the C drive it checks other installed drives for the file. So you could manually find the file in question & see what the path & directory are & make any corrections if necessary.

It would be really nice if people just read what was written and only give an answer when they know it.

I know computer problems can be frustrating at times, we have all been there!

With an attitude like that I will be surprised if anybody bothers to answer your problem. We are all volunteers here that willingly give our free time at no charge, advice and suggestions to try and help. It is basically a case of trouble-shooting and elimination in order to be able to resolve a problem!

My experience is that this does happen on Windows Computers, but only while opening the My Computer folder.

Can you confirm that is what is happening?

As I wrote in my original post: "the folder was on a USB hard drive, though I don't remember if this happens on the C: drive"... that means it's not the My Computer folder, as Windows by default installs to the C: drive, and if My Computer were on a USB drive, that means I would have had to have gone out of my way to make the C: drive on a USB drive (which I don't think is even possible with Windows) then manually selecting to install it there, at which point I would have remembered that it was on the C: drive.

So to be very specific about what's happening, when clicking a folder on a USB (meaning external) drive (in this case HDD drive letter H:), randomly Windows will scan the disc in the disc drive (D: in this case as always for me).

Has anyone else run into this specific issue, do you know why it happens, and do you know how to have Windows behave sensibly here? There's no reason Windows should try to scan a disc in the disc drive when the user tries to open a folder on a completely different USB external drive (formatted for Windows yes, already has files and folders in it).

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